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Hey everyone, I need some guidance about my senior parents' tax situation. My elderly parents are currently living with me in my house. Mom only gets Social Security benefits while Dad receives both Social Security and disability payments. That's literally their only source of income. I'm trying to figure out if they still need to file their own tax returns given this situation? And since I'm covering more than half their living expenses, could I potentially file as head of household and claim them as my dependents instead? I'm really confused about what the right approach is here. Any advice would be super appreciated! Thanks in advance for helping us navigate this!
Filed and got accepted on Feb 3rd. Transcript updated Feb 15th showing codes 150, 806, 766, and 768. No DDD yet. Anyone know what this means or how long until I get my refund?
Lemme break this down for everyone confused about 2024 processing: - Code 150 = Return processed - Code 806 = Withholding credits locked in - Codes 766/768 = Credits approved Typical timeline is 21 days but can take longer. Best way to know exactly where you stand is using taxr.ai - it analyzes all your codes and gives you a precise timeline. Way better than guessing or waiting on hold with IRS for hours. If you see these codes without any freeze codes (like 570/971), you're probably looking at 1-2 weeks max. But every return is different and can have unique processing patterns that affect timing.
Hey everyone, I'm totally new to filing with 1099-MISC income this year. I've been trying to use two different tax software programs to double-check my work (FreeTaxUSA and TurboTax), but they're giving me different calculations for the Qualified Business Income Deduction and now I'm confused. Here's what each one seems to be doing: TurboTax calculates it as: 0.2 * (1099 Income - Schedule C Expenses) But FreeTaxUSA does it as: 0.2 * (1099 Income - Schedule C Expenses - Self Employment Tax Deduction), where they're taking the Self Employment Tax Deduction as 50% of the Self Employment Tax My 1099-MISC income is about $24,500 and I have around $3,800 in Schedule C expenses if that helps. I'm super confused about which calculation method is actually correct? Does one of these programs have it wrong or am I missing something? This is my first rodeo with self-employment taxes and I want to make sure I'm doing everything right!
Has anyone else noticed that the QBI thing is kinda confusing on purpose? like the gov doesn't want small business owners to get the full deduction? i did my taxes with three different software programs last year and got three different QBI numbers. ended up paying an accountant who found even more deductions the software missed.
I think it's intentionally complicated to benefit big corporations with accounting departments. When I finally figured out the right QBI calculation, it saved me almost $700! But I spent like 10 hours researching it. Regular people don't have time for that and just accept whatever TurboTax tells them even if it's wrong. The system is rigged.
Yeah that's a good point about big corporations having an advantage. The 10 hours you spent researching probably cost you more in lost time than you saved! But that's how they get us - make it just complicated enough that we either give up on deductions we deserve or pay someone else to figure it out.
This is exactly why I keep detailed records of everything throughout the year now! After getting burned by incorrect QBI calculations my first year with 1099 income, I learned to track not just my business expenses but also to save screenshots of how different tax software calculates things. For what it's worth, I've found that the IRS Publication 535 (Business Expenses) and Publication 334 (Tax Guide for Small Business) are really helpful for understanding the QBI deduction rules straight from the source. Sometimes the tax software explanations are oversimplified and miss important details like the self-employment tax adjustment. Also, if you're planning to have 1099 income again next year, consider making quarterly estimated tax payments. It's another complicated thing to figure out, but it beats getting hit with a huge tax bill and underpayment penalties at the end of the year!
I'm working on my PhD and I'm confused about whether I can claim the Lifetime Learning Credit. IRS Pub. 970 states that qualified tuition reductions don't have to be included in income, especially for grad students who teach or research. My situation: I received a T-1098 form showing $765.00 in box 1. When I look at my university's billing portal, I see: Tuition: Graduate Schl PhD CR $765.00 Fellowship: CS Dept CRF -$765.00 Here's what I'm wondering - can I actually claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for this $765 tuition amount even though I didn't technically pay it out of pocket (it was covered by a fellowship), and without declaring the fellowship as income? It almost seems like a loophole if I could get the LLC tax credit without having to report the fellowship as income. The fellowship is labeled as "CS Dept CRF" in my billing portal, not specifically as a "tuition reduction" - does that make a difference? If this is legit, I'm thinking about amending my returns from previous years where my 1098-Ts showed several thousand dollars in tuition. That could be a significant refund! But I want to make sure I'm not missing something obvious here. Where in the tax code would it say I can't claim LLC for amounts I didn't pay directly if the tuition reduction isn't counted as income?
Be careful with amended returns! If you're going to amend previous years to claim the LLC, make sure you're 100% certain of your position. The lookback period for audits is typically 3 years, but can be extended to 6 years if the IRS believes you've substantially understated your income. Amending multiple returns could trigger a review.
Is there a minimum amount that would trigger an audit for amended returns? I'm in a similar situation but only looking at around $400 in potential credits for last year.
There's no official minimum threshold that guarantees safety from an audit. The IRS doesn't disclose their exact selection criteria. However, smaller amendments are generally less likely to raise red flags than larger ones. For a $400 credit, the risk is relatively lower, but remember that any amended return has a slightly higher chance of review than an original return. The key is ensuring you have proper documentation to support your position if questioned - keep all your tuition statements, proof of payment, and any documentation about your fellowship/tuition reduction status.
I think many of you are confusing different concepts. There's a difference between: 1) Scholarships/fellowships (generally taxable unless used for qualified educational expenses) 2) Qualified tuition reductions (tax-free benefit for employees/grad students performing services) 3) Employer education assistance (up to $5,250 tax-free) The OP specifically has a CS Dept fellowship that was applied directly to tuition. This looks like case #1, not #2. Can't claim LLC on this.
How do you determine which category your funding falls into? My stipend paperwork just says "Graduate Assistant Stipend" but doesn't specify if it's for services or just support.
Look at your employment paperwork or offer letter - it should specify whether you're required to perform teaching or research duties in exchange for the stipend. If you have specific service requirements (like TAing classes or working in a lab), it's likely compensation for services. If it's just general financial support for being a graduate student with no specific work requirements, it's more like a fellowship. The IRS cares about whether there's a quid pro quo - are you getting paid for work, or just receiving support for being a student?
Been checking my transcript daily and noticed I'm on PATH hold. Getting anxious about my refund and wondering if anyone knows if you can see code 846 before the PATH hold gets lifted? Just trying to figure out when I might see my money.
Nope not possible. PATH is PATH. Its literally in the law that they cant process these returns till after feb 15. buckle up buttercup ๐คก
Just want to add that while you're waiting for PATH to lift, you can still check for other updates on your transcript like processing dates or any notices. The 846 code specifically won't show until after Feb 15th, but at least you can monitor that your return is moving through the system. Hang in there - the wait is brutal but it's the same for everyone with EITC/ACTC!
Kara Yoshida
Just double check that your parents aren't required to file for other reasons! My dad was in a similar situation but forgot he had sold some stock that year (literally like $200 worth) and that triggered a filing requirement even though his Social Security wasn't taxable. The IRS computers automatically cross-reference all those 1099 forms so they'll know if there's any additional income. Better to check thoroughly than get a surprise letter later!
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Philip Cowan
This happened to my grandma too! She had like $20 in dividend income from some ancient account she forgot about and it caused such a headache with the IRS. They're really strict about everything being reported properly.
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Liam Murphy
Great question! I went through this exact situation with my elderly parents last year. Based on what you've described, your parents likely don't need to file their own returns since Social Security and disability benefits are typically not taxable when they're the only income sources. For claiming them as dependents, you're on the right track! Since you're providing more than half their support and they're living with you, you can likely claim them as qualifying relatives. This would allow you to file as head of household, which has better tax rates and a higher standard deduction than single filing status. Just make sure to keep detailed records of all the expenses you're covering for them - housing, food, medical, utilities, etc. The IRS may want documentation if they ever question the dependency claim. Also, double-check that they don't have any other income sources (even small amounts from investments, pensions, or part-time work) that might change the filing requirements. You might want to consult with a tax professional or use the IRS Interactive Tax Assistant tool online to confirm your specific situation, but it sounds like you're handling this correctly!
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